The Construction
Products Association has been invited to join three working groups formed as
part of the next phase of the Independent Review into Building Regulations and
Fire Safety led by Dame Judith Hackitt.
The three groups are
looking at; Regulations and Guidance; Golden Thread; and Quality Assurance and
Products.
The objectives for
each of these meetings are broad, and working groups have been set a tight
deadline to submit a response that is as specific and well considered as
possible by the end of March. The Final Report is on a path to be published in
May 2018.
At the recent
industry summit, Dame Judith issued a ‘call to action’ to all those involved in
the building system to bring about changes that will enable residents to be
assured that their buildings are, and will continue to be, safe to live in.
Industry leaders
committed to work aimed at creating a new system that will work effectively and
coherently. Working groups will be established to develop innovative solutions
in the following key areas:
- design, construction and
refurbishment – establishing what industry and regulators need to do to
fully embed building safety during the design and construction phase
- occupation and maintenance –
identifying what building owners, landlords and regulators need to do
differently to ensure that building safety is prioritised when a building
is occupied and throughout its life cycle
- products – determining how
the product testing and marketing regime can be improved
- competency – establishing how
competency requirements for key individuals involved in building and
managing complex and high-risk buildings should change
- residents’ voice –
determining the best way for residents to be given a clear, quick and
effective statutory route for raising concerns on fire safety
- regulation and guidance –
resolving whether central government ownership of technical guidance is
the most appropriate model for complex and high-risk buildings
As well as the work
CPA are doing towards the working groups, work for the Industry Response Group
is still ongoing. The CPA’s Technical Expert Panel has been integral in the
feedback CPA relay to MHCLG, both in responding to key questions regarding capacity
and also informing and keeping topics high on the agenda pertinent to both the
products industry and the wider sector.
Peter Caplehorn, CPA
Deputy Chief Executive, who is leading our efforts on Grenfell, commented:
“Avoiding a repeat of Grenfell is paramount within the minds of all who share
in the responsibility for specifying, installing, inspecting and managing the
fire performance of our built environment.
“It is therefore
crucial that those engaged in the manufacture, testing and installation of fire
critical products and systems are able to present appropriate guidance to
ensure that any future regulatory process is sufficiently robust.
“The CPA Technical
Expert Panel has been formed to act as an essential conduit between the
manufacturing sector, other key bodies and Government agencies to enable this
vital flow of information and guidance.”
At the summit Dame
Judith Hackitt said: "I have been greatly encouraged by the wide ranging
support which my Interim
Report received.
"I can now say
with confidence that there is widespread agreement that the current system of
regulation for high-rise and complex buildings is broken and that we need a
radical overhaul and a change in culture.
"We now need to
agree both the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of delivering the transformational change
which is needed."
Currently the
Technical Expert Panel membership is as follows:
- Association for Specialist
Fire Protection
- British Woodworking
Federation
- Centre for Window and
Cladding Technology
- Council for Aluminium in
Building
- Finishes & Interiors
Sector
- Glass & Glazing
Federation
- Insulation Manufacturers
Association, European Phenolic Foam Association and Engineered Panels In
Construction
- Metal Cladding and Roofing
Manufacturers Association
- The Mineral Wool Insulation
Manufacturers’ Association
Given the importance
of the Technical Expert Panel, CPA will be reviewing the TEP in due course to
ensure the membership matches the agenda and topics.
